Answers
by calma-llama
Summary: After arguments between Yumi's parents get physical and they threaten to separate their family, Ulrich does his best to comfort his friend.


It was dusk when Ulrich walked into the dorm after a rather long four hours of detention to find a teenage girl sitting on his bed, her legs dangling over the side as she looked out the window into the horizon.

Now, it probably should've concerned the brunette that the young woman had somehow found her way into his dorm for the third time this week, but he really didn't care. She could be here as many time as she wants and he didn't mind at all. He also should have been bothered that the Japanese girl was rubbing her arm and quietly whimpering in pain, but since it was none of his business and he knew she really hated it when he got on her case with pressing questions, he decided it would be best if he didn't say anything.

Instead, he asked the question that was on his mind.

"So, what brings you here so late?" He asked genuinely, his voice cutting through the silence. The geisha had made a habit of coming to the boy's room to talk or even simply rest on one of their beds when she'd get bored and didn't want to deal with her little brother. As if that wasn't strange enough (I mean really, what girl would want to hang out in a small room inhabited by two teenage boys whirling their way through puberty in her spare time?), she had made a game out of coming up with the most insane excuses. Odd and Ulrich had explained to her on many occasions that "We understand you just want something to do when you finish all your things and Xana is beaten for the day.", but she shrugged them off, continuing her little game, simply because it amused her. Earlier this week, she had mentioned something about her friend coming over from Japan and listening to her retell childhood stories was slowly driving her to insanity. The incident before that was a very elaborate one. She had played a prank on Hiroki involving his diary, Millie and some excellent acting skills. Apparently, her little brother was out for her blood.

Yumi met his gaze and shot him a small, empty grin.

"Oh, something happened at my house, my parents-" She stopped herself short, hesitant about saying anything. "Odd let me in before he left for his date with Sam." Yumi replied instead. She moved over, inviting him to take a seat beside her. He complied, walking over and sitting down. "Sorry, I don't have a crazy excuse this time around." She explained, crossing her legs and sighing.

He rolled his eyes. "If you actually listened to us, you would know that you don't need an excuse to come over. You're welcome anytime." But of course, this was Yumi he was talking to. Listening to reason wasn't exactly her strong suit. She chuckled and playfully punched him in the arm. Still, he felt that she wasn't really there, not all of her anyway. There was something off about the girl that particular day. Her laugh was half hearted and her smirks were absent.

"Is there something wrong?" He questioned, taking the risk of setting her off. He knew how much she disliked discussing family problems. He understood, considering his dad was never satisfied with him and his mother did nothing about it. She kept her eyes to the ground, and unsure expression sweeping across her features.

There was another thing off. During the summer, Yumi would wear short sleeves and embrace the heat, more than anyone else in their group. But today, she had her jacket zipped up tight.

The geisha didn't answer, still focusing on the floor with narrowed eyes. Finally, when she did respond, she seemingly changed the subject.

"The world is really big...Isn't it?"

Ulrich turned to her, tilting his head in curiosity. There was definitely something off about her today. So, he did what he knew he had to do to get some answers. He played along.

"Yeah...I guess it is." He agreed, watching as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees, eyes still trained on something else.

"I've never really thought about it. I think it's because _my _entire world is right here, in France and with you guys." She murmured, as if she were just confirming herself. She grasped her arm and hissed, Ulrich flinching. "But, it's not my world that matters. It's the world we live in. You have your own world, so does Odd and Hiroki..." When he nodded, she removed her hand from her forearm, crossing them on her knees. "They're all so different and insignificant at the same time. But, I have grown to love my world, even though Xana threatens to destroy it everyday. It's easy to forget how big the world really is when you get used to a place like this."

Ulrich nodded thoughtfully, but inwardly he was panicking. It almost sounded like she was saying goodbye. No, this can't be happening.

"...Yumi?" He voice hesitantly, afraid of the answer. "A-are you leaving?"

Yumi blinked at him.

"Leaving..." She repeated, breaking down the word. "I-I might be."

In that moment, Ulrich could've sworn his heart stopped. "...What?" He wasn't sure if he heard that correctly. Was this actually happening? "N-no...Why?"

"Don't worry about it, please. I don't want this getting out. I'm sure my parents were just overreacting." She attempted to give him a reassuring smile. "You're not going to get rid of me that easily." His nerves didn't cool down in the slightest. But he could see the sparkle in her eyes, a faint form of Yumi brand confidence that meant things were going to be okay. Still, Ulrich was doubtful and determined to make her explain.

"What's wrong then?" He gestured to her arm. She shrugged and glanced up at him with a small smile. Yumi readjusted herself, sitting up straight and taking hold of her jacket's zipper.

"J-just...Please, don't get mad." She pleaded. He wasn't sure what was about to happen. She undid her jacket zipper and slid it off her body. Her arms were littered with intense bruises and cuts, some still caked with dried blood. Ulrich stifled a gasp, his head snapping up to meet her eyes. She looked away, ashamed. "My father has never gotten physical during one of their arguments. I-I couldn't let him hurt my mother and I stepped in a-and-" She was choked by the tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes.

He took her into his arms.

"You don't want to live with your family, but you don't want them to separate." He stated. She nodded, swallowing down a sob. Ulrich wasn't the one to initiate physical contact, but he couldn't help it when his arms wrapped around her and pulled her in close. She needed the comfort. She leaned into him and rested her head in the crook of his neck. A little part of him was alarmed (she was so close), but the bigger part of him was simply concerned for his best friend.

"Yes." She finally whispered, her warm breath tickling his skin. "Ulrich...My life, my _world_, is falling apart around me. And there's nothing I can do to stop it from crumbling. I can't watch my parents fight all the time. But, I know I can't keep getting myself hurt forever. I don't know what to do, Ulrich." She squeezed him a little tighter.

He said nothing because he had never heard Yumi sound so lost and beaten before. When his mind processes what she had told him, he pushes her away gently and dries her tears, offering as much reassurance as he could without being pretentious or fake.

"Yumi." He began, searching for the right words to say. Ulrich was used to being brutally honest, but he didn't want to be inconsiderate because he knew this was a side of her she had never allowed anyone to see before. He didn't want to shut her out. Also, if he were in her situation, he would want someone to give him encouraging and realistic advice. He loved her, whether she returned the feelings or not, and didn't want her to leave. "I can't guarantee you anything. I can't promise things will turn out in the end. I'm just a teenage boy who picked up martial arts from watching television all day as a kid and now I fight against Xana and attempt to balance normal life. What would I know? But, like you said, I have a world too. My world is small." Yumi was focusing on only him at this point and it made him nervous.

He pressed on. "Yumi, everyone's world is small. And, at times, everyone experiences a time where it seems that all is lost and things have fallen apart. But the world, however, is really big. So, in the grand scheme of things, your situation would be a miniscule thing-" The geisha opened her mouth to object, but Ulrich raised a hand to silence her. "But to _Yumi_, it would be devastating. I know this is incredibly selfish, but I'm not worried about the whole world right now. I'm worried about _my _world. And in my world, I want Yumi to be here and I want her to be okay."

Yumi stared at him for a moment, so he turned away, done with his embarrassing little speech. Yes, his words didn't answer her question in the slightest, but he hoped it made her understand that he was here for her, no matter what happened. His cheeks burned, but he couldn't bring himself to look back at Yumi to gauge her reaction.

A few seconds of silence pass, but Yumi eventually leans forward and places a kiss on his cheek, smiling.

"I want to be okay and with you in my world too."


End file.
